“Big Ideas” courses explore important intellectual questions that cross-cut traditional disciplinary boundaries. They challenge students to explore questions that resonate with their lives, and they require students to hone the critical thinking skills that will serve them well as lifelong learners. Multi-disciplinary, high-impact courses that tackle such questions through the application of concepts and active investigation can be an exciting challenge for instructors and students alike.

Led by Associate Professor of Physics & Astronomy Cornelia Lang and supported by a Provost Office Student Success Grant, “Origins of Life in the Universe” is a Big Ideas course created by a team of faculty members and TAs in five departments (Physics & Astronomy; Earth & Environmental Science; Anthropology; Chemistry; and Biology). Professor Lang and her colleagues will discuss how they implemented best practices to create a two-semester General Education course that incorporated:

Team teaching across disciplinary boundaries

Inquiry-guided learning in a TILE classroom setting

Extensive assessment of the student and faculty experience

TA input in the design, implementation, and assessment of the course

Faculty members, Department Executive Officers, deans, and graduate students are encouraged to register and attend this engaging presentation, the first in an annual Center for Teaching series that will showcase innovative teaching at Iowa. Visit the Center for Teaching to learn more.